Curtain heading tape



Aug 8,l 1'950' 4 c. F. FRENCH Erm.v 2,518,301

CURTAIN HEADING TAPE' i Filed July 22,1947 1 2 sheets-sheet 1 vAug. 8, 1950 G. F. FRENCH ETAL Filed July 22, 1947 CURTAIN HEADING TAPE 2 sheets-sheet 2 MM f f/ ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1950 2,518,301 CURTAIN HEADING ATAPE George Frederick French and Roger French, Hale,

and Brindley Jack Brown, Littleborough, England; said Brown assignor to said George Frederick French and said Roger French Application July 22, 1947, Serial No. 762,716 In Great Britain June 6, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires June 6, 1965 9 Claims. l This invention refers to curtain heading tapes suitable for pleating or draping of window curtains and the like.

Heretofore, the pleating of Window curtains and the like has usually been effected by means of a length, or lengths, of tape provided with draw-cords, the tape being sewn to the curtain heading across the full width of the latter, and, on being gathered upon the draw-cords, causing the curtain heading to become pleated. Frequently, the tape comprises a plurality of tapes, the back one of which is wide and has another, or other narrower front tape or tapes attached to its face at intervals which are relatively short distances apart, suitable to form hook tubes and which substantially dei-lne the pitch of the pleating so that the pleats have been relatively small, in fact, more of the nature of puckers or small corrugations, which, in conjunction with the resistance of the curtain material, do not lend themselves to uniform and natural draping of the curtain, and, in fact, contribute to drooping of the curtain heading after a period of suspension.

This invention has for its object to provide a curtain heading tape by which the curtain heading will be kept more upright, and the curtain itself will be more logically uniformly and pleasingly pleated, and by rendering the draping or pleating coincident with the natural draping of the curtain material i. e. in wave form suitable to the texture of the material. A further object, in the case of suspension pleating tape, i. e. tape serving for suspension as well as pleating, is to suspend the curtain by means which help in maintaining the desired uniformity of draping, that is to say, waving or something less gathered than pleating.

According to the invention, the improved curtain heading tape comprises a plurality of tapes, one of which is relatively wide and, in use, is attached to the curtain heading for its whole length corresponding to the width of the curtain, and has another and narrower tape, or tapes, attached to its front face at intervals suitable for providing a relatively short free portion, or portions, suitable for a suspension hook, or hooks, to engage, the other and intervening portions of the narrower tape, or tapes, which are relatively long being left free, and said narrower tape, or tapes, being provided with drawcords by which it, or they, may be pleated, and the wider tape and curtain heading thereby caused to become folded, the said intervening free parts of the narrower tape, or tapes, when pleated ex- 2 tending across the entrances to the curtain heading folds, whiist the wide tape conforms to the shape and proportions of the folds.

The question of suitability of size of a hook tube is obviously determined by the consideration that the hooks should be such as is consistent with strength, whilst allowing the curtain to be drawn back into a minimum of space, and similarlyv the hook tubes should permit easy insertion of the hook, but be small enough to enable the hook to position that part of the tape and not move about therein or drag or distort the front tape from the broader back tape. Thus, for general purposes, 1% to 1/2" is a suitable width for a hook-tube, whilst 3A" or more would be unnecessarily wide and unsuitable within the meaning of this specification.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the improved heading tape comprises one or more lengths of narrow tape, and a single length of wider tape, the narrow tape or tapes being attached at short intervals to the wider tape (woven or stitched) and leaving relatively long free portions, that is to say, longer than is suitable to form hook tubes. The attached portions of the narrow tape (or tapes) will be relatively short and the connections of each of such attached portions will 4be at two points, lying a slight distance apart and leaving the short intervening portion free and of a width suitable to form a hook-tube. Extending through the narrow tape (or tapes) is a draw-cord, or draw-cords, which will be interlaced through the long free portions of the front narrower tape andV pass behind or in front of the short attached portions orvthrough the hook tubes, or behind or through the wider tape at such points.

With such combination of tapes and drawcord, or draw-cords, the gathering or pleating of the narrow tape, or tapes, will result in those portions of the wide tape facing the long free parts of thev narrow unattached tape, or tapes, extending rearwardly in the form of relatively large and uniform folds or pleats and assisting the curtain also to have like folds or pleats, which, owing to the size and uniformity of the same, will give a definite and pleasing draping effect to the curtain, both in the heading and the other parts of the curtain.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of the portion of the heading part of a curtain with one example of the invention applied thereto, and as it appears prior to pleating of the curtain.

Fig. 2 is a repetition of Fig. 1, but after the curtain has been pleated.

Fig. 3 is an end or edge view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 a sectional plan view alongfline` 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a further front view of a portion of the heading part of a curtain, with a further example of the invention applied thereto, .andas it appears prior to pleating the curtain.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a, portion of thepleat-v ing tape, embodying two side-by-side hook-tubes.

Fig. '7 is a front view of a portion of *thel pleating tape embodying a tapered hook-tube.

(Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate tln'eeexamples vof curtain suspension hooks for use with the pleat-v ing tape.

Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view 0f a'modication adapted to allow of the folds of the curtain heading being box-pleated.

Fig. 12 is a sectional' plan View of the same modification after being box-pleated.

- Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and Ll, a. is the curtain heading consisting of a portionrofcthe upper part of the curtain folded back upon itself andl such folded-back portion sewn to the rear facev ofthe curtain. .To'the front of the curtain heading is sewn. a single wide tape. b, equal in lengthto the full width of the curtain, the sewing being along each edge of the tape. 'I'o `such wide tape b is attached, byiweaving or sewing,y

a narrower tape c, equal in length to the wide tape b, and at each end folded around the end of the wide tape b, see Fig. 2. The pointsof attachment are at c1, c2, and are repeated at spaced intervals Valong the whole leng'th'- of the tape c. Those parts of the tape c between the points of connection c1, c2, form hook-tubes d, whilst those parts c3, of the tape c between successive hook-tubes d are left free,- i. e., not`directly connected to the wide tape b. Interlaced withsuch free parts c3, and passing behind the hook-tubes d, and between the wide tape b and the curtain a, areV draw-cords e; e, which, atone extremity, are secured to one end of the tape c and at their other extremity are left free and extend a short' distance, beyond the edgel of the curtain heading o. when in the flat. "By means of such draw-cords the free parts Vc34 'of the tape c may be gathered or pleated, and caused to form aseries of sinall and even pleats, see Figi 4', whilst those portions of the wide tape b' betweenv the hook-tubes d, and the material of the curtain, are caused to move rearwardly and form relatively large folds f, as shown in Fig.' 4. Aitor such pleating,the` free ends of thedraw-'cords e extend well beyondthe edge of the curtain and are tied together, or coiled and tucked intothe -curtain heading.

For suspending the `curtain when-'pleated to form the large folds (or evenwhen not pleated), ysuspension hooks'` are caused to `cngagethe hooktubes ci'V as 'shown inFig. S-such hooks, inturn, engaging the usual curtain rail'runnersor gliders.

Asshown in Fig. 5,`therernaybe asingle wide tape'ib, vand two narrow tapes c, c, attached to the wide vtape in like manner to "the narrow `tape of Figs. 1 and 2, the wide tape being secured; by sewing along its upper .and lower edges, and also centrally tothe curtain heading. Irl-.this lexample, suspension hooks will:V be. used which-will engage the hook-tubes d, d of the twonarrow. tapes c, c, lying one over the. other and thereby serve both to-suspend the Vcurtain from the usual .ecarrier rail, and to hold theheading erect.

Instead of the single hook-tubes d, .theremay be twin hook-tubes as shown in Fig. 6, and in such case turn-over hooks of the kind shown in Fig. 9 may be used, the two portions of the hook engaging the division wall ofthetwinhook-tube, and thus being firmly held in the' hook-tubes.

The hook-tubes d in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 will usually betparallel-sided, but as shown in Fig. '7, they may be .of tapered formation, and the suspension hook be of like formation, as shown in Fig. 10,

thereby giving i'lrm support to the curtain, and without requiring to engage the lower edge of the hook-tube and cause crumpling of the same.

YThe individual hook-tubes d will usually be about to 1/2 an inch wide, and the free parts c3 of the tape c will be about 2 inches long. They may, however, be longer for example, 3 inches or more,r or shorter, say l inch. The points of attachment may be mere lines, or there may be `spaces-between the free parts which spaces may be with or without hook-tubes and of any suitable width such as just two hook-tubes wide, or the width of many hooktubes, i. e. for purposeof forming a flat portion of curtain in `between the waves formed at the free portions.

The hooks used with parallel-sided hook-.tubes may be of the kind shown in Fig. 8,. which-'on application to the hook-tubes serve also to 'grip the vdraw-cords, and locate the pleating, i. e., prevent creeping of the pleats.

In each example, the folds or pleats of the'wide tape may also embody small. hook-tubes by which thev curtain. may be suspended by further hooks, or by which the folds of the tape and curtain may be converted into boxpleats `Anexampleof l such .arrangement is shown in Figs. 11 and l2, g

being the small hook-tubes in one with `the wide tape b, and with which hooks engage to support they curtain and also to hold the folds in the required .box-pleat? formation.

To allow of uniformity of suspension, the suspension hooks may be linked together by lengths of iine chains, cords, tapes or like ficxible connecting means. Or, the usual glidersl or runners with which the suspension hooks engage may be connected in like manner.

By means of this invention the curtain-is provided with even waves or folds coincident with the draping properties of lthe curtain material throughout its full depth and width, and prevents, or diminishes, the tendency of the Ycurtain heading to fall or droop. Thetapc also provides safe means for suspension of the curtain whether it is provided with hook-tubes or whatever other suspension means are to be used than tube-tting hooks.

What we claim is:

1..,A curtain headingtape which comprises a back tape adapted to be sewn adjacent its edges toa curtain, at least one narrower front tape connected to the back tape at spaced intervals .to form alternately long and short portions of said front tape unconnected to said back. tapethe short portions partially forming hook tubes' for receiving suspension hooks, and at least one draw cord which passes through both. tapes adjacent their .points of connection and passes behnd'the portions of the back tape opposite said short portions of the fronttape, said draw cord also passing in-.and-out .through the long unconnected portions ofthe front narrow tape whereby when the draw cord is drawn the curtain heading'tape is pleated, the back tape being formedintorelatively large pleatsv and the long portionsof the front tape betweenthe short hook tube portions each-.beingformed into a plurality ofsmallpleats across the front of the corresponding larger pleat of the back tape.

2. A curtain heading tape as set forth in claim 1 in which additional hook tubes are formed in the back tape in the portions thereof opposite the long portions of the front tape.

3. A curtain heading tape according to claim 1 in which each hook tube portion is constructed to provide a pair of hook tubes.

4. A curtain heading tape according to claim 1 in which at least some of the hook tubes are of tapered formation.

5. A curtain heading tape which comprises a back tape adapted to be sewn adjacent its edges to a curtain, a narrower front tape connected to the back tape at spaced intervals to form alternate long and short portions of said front tape unconnected to said back tape, each short portion partially forming a hook tube for receiving a suspension hook, and at least one draw cord which passes through both tapes adjacent their points of connection yand passes behind the portions of the back tape opposite said short portions of the front tape, said draw cord also passing in-and-out through the long unconnected portion of the front narrow tape, whereby when the draw cord is drawn the curtain heading tape is pleated, the back tape being formed into relatively large pleats and the long portions of the front tape between the short hook tube portions each being formed into a plurality of Ismall pleats across the ycorresponding larger pleat of the back tape.

6. A curtain heading tape which comprises a back tape adapted to be sewn adjacent its edges to a curtain, at least one narrower front tape connected to the back tape by being woven therewith at spaced intervals to form alternately long and short portions of said front tape unconnected to said back tape, the short portions partially forming hook tubes for receiving suspension hooks and at least one draw cord which passes through both tapes adjacent their interwoven points of connection and passes behind the portions of the back tape opposite said short portions of the front tape, said draw cord also passing inand-out through the long unconnected portions of the front narrower tape whereby when the draw cord is drawn the curtain heading tape is pleated, the back tape being formed into relatively large pleats with the hook tubes located at the ridges thereof, Iand the long portions of the front tape between the short hook tube portions each being formed into a plurality of small pleats across the front of the corresponding larger pleat of the back tape.

7. A curtain heading tape according to claim 6, in which additional hook tubes are formed in the portions of the back tape opposite the long portions of the front tape.

8. A curtain heading tape according to claim 6, in which each hook tube portion is constructed to provide a pair of hook tubes.

9. A curtain heading tape according to claim 6, in which at least some of the hook tubes are of tapered formation.

GEORGE FREDERICK FRENCH. ROGER FRENCH. BRINDLEY JACK BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

